Divorce Attorney in Sterling Heights

Family Law Backed by Financial Depth, Serving Macomb County

Divorce changes where you live, how often you see your children, and how you manage money every month. You’re not just looking for information. You’re looking for a divorce lawyer you can trust to keep things organized, explain what’s happening, and protect what matters most.

At Ziulkowski & Associates, PLC, we work with people in Sterling Heights and across Macomb, Oakland, and St. Clair Counties who are trying to make sound decisions during a stressful time. For more than 25 years, our team has handled thousands of family law, bankruptcy, and estate planning cases from our Clinton Township office. We also handle bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and debt relief, which means clients can address the financial complexity divorce almost always carries with one legal team rather than several.

We start with a free initial consultation so you can talk openly about your situation before committing to anything. You can ask questions, hear how the process typically works, and understand how our attorneys can approach your case.

Call our divorce attorney team in Sterling Heights at (586) 600-7623 to schedule a free consultation.

How Our Divorce Team Works

When you work with our firm, you’re not relying on a single person who might be unreachable between court dates. Every active case, including divorce, custody, and related financial matters, is reviewed collectively by our team each morning. Your file gets consistent attention, not just when a deadline is approaching.

That daily review means more than one attorney understands exactly where your case stands. If your primary contact is in court or unavailable, another attorney on our team can step in without losing continuity. Clients have noted that both the lead attorney and their paralegal stayed actively involved throughout the process, which keeps communication clear and reduces the back-and-forth that frustrates clients at other firms.

Because we also handle bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and debt relief, we look at how divorce decisions affect your overall financial stability. When child support, spousal support, and debt allocation intersect, our attorneys address those connections directly. Clients dealing with shared debt and custody concerns don’t need to explain the full picture twice to separate attorneys who don’t talk to each other.

Filing for Divorce in Macomb County

If you live in Sterling Heights, your divorce case is filed in the Family Division of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court in Mount Clemens. Our attorneys have been appearing in that courthouse for many years and are familiar with local procedures and what judges expect at each stage.

Michigan Residency & No-Fault Grounds

Michigan is a no-fault divorce state. Under MCL 552.6, the only required ground is that the marriage relationship has broken down and there is no reasonable likelihood it can be preserved. You don’t have to prove fault to move forward. Before filing, one spouse must have lived in Michigan for at least 180 days and in Macomb County for at least 10 days (MCL 552.9(1)).

Waiting Periods & Temporary Orders

Once a Complaint for Divorce is filed and served, Michigan imposes a mandatory waiting period before the case can be finalized. Under MCL 552.9f, that period is 60 days when no minor children are involved and 180 days when minor children are part of the case. During this time, the court may address temporary issues such as where children will live, who pays which bills, and whether interim support is needed.

From Filing to Final Judgment

Most cases move through financial disclosure and negotiation, and sometimes mediation, before reaching a written Judgment of Divorce signed by the judge. When the parties can’t reach agreement, the court may hold a trial and issue final rulings after hearing evidence. In contested cases involving children, the Macomb County Friend of the Court (FOC) investigates and makes recommendations to the judge on custody, parenting time, and child support, and enforces support orders once they’re in place.

Throughout this process, our team manages filings, prepares you for hearings, and explains likely timeframes in plain terms. We can’t control court schedules, but our long experience in Macomb County helps us anticipate what typically arises and keep you informed at every step.

Children, Property & Debt in Your Divorce

For most people, the hardest questions in a divorce aren’t about forms or filing fees. They’re about children, homes, retirement accounts, and debt. Our role is to guide you through these decisions with a clear view of both the legal standards and the day-to-day realities you face.

Child Custody & Parenting Time

When children are involved, Michigan courts decide custody based on the best interests of the child, weighing statutory factors under MCL 722.23. Those factors include each parent’s involvement in daily care, the parent-child relationship, school stability, and any health or safety concerns. We work with parents to present a clear picture of their involvement and to develop parenting time schedules that reflect the children’s needs and the realities of work and school. We handle fathers’ rights cases alongside all other family law matters. Both parents receive the same level of representation from our team.

Child Support & Spousal Support

Child support is calculated using the Michigan Child Support Formula, which accounts for both parents’ incomes, the number of children, overnight parenting time, and health care and child-care costs. Spousal support is addressed separately, based on factors including length of marriage, each spouse’s earning ability, and the standard of living established during the marriage. A divorce lawyer from our team can walk through how these calculations typically work so you have a realistic picture before agreeing to any long-term obligation.

Property Division & Debt Allocation

Property division in Michigan follows equitable distribution, meaning fair but not necessarily equal. Courts consider the length of the marriage, each spouse’s contributions, earning abilities, and other relevant factors when dividing marital assets. Marital debt, including mortgages, credit cards, and personal loans, must also be assigned between spouses as part of the final settlement. Our attorneys pay close attention to both sides of the balance sheet so you’re not focused only on what you gain while overlooking long-term obligations.

Contested Cases & Aggressive Opposing Counsel

Some divorces are contested, with real disputes over custody or property. Clients have noted that our attorneys stay steady and prepared even when opposing counsel is aggressive. Firm advocacy grounded in preparation, rather than reacting in the moment, can make a real difference when the stakes are high.

If you’re preparing for your first consultation, it helps to gather:

• Recent pay stubs and tax returns for both spouses, if available
• Mortgage statements, credit card bills, and loan documents
• Account statements for bank, retirement, and investment accounts
• Any existing court orders related to children or support
• A written summary of your main concerns about children, housing, and debt

When Divorce & Serious Debt Overlap

Splitting one household into two can bring financial stress to the surface fast. Past-due bills, joint credit card balances, a mortgage that feels unmanageable after separation, or tax debt deferred during the marriage can all become urgent once the process begins.

At Ziulkowski & Associates, PLC, we handle Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, mortgage modification, and debt negotiation alongside divorce. You can discuss your entire financial picture with one team instead of coordinating separate attorneys who don’t communicate. We regularly work with clients from Sterling Heights carrying joint debt, past-due medical bills, or a second mortgage under pressure.

In some divorce cases, an automatic stay from a bankruptcy filing can halt creditor actions, including wage garnishment and repossession threats, while the broader financial picture is sorted out. Our attorneys look at how each option, including bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy alternatives, interacts with your divorce goals, such as how each approach may affect support calculations and property division. During your consultation, we walk through your income, assets, and debts and outline the tools that may be available so you can decide what combination makes sense for your family.